1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in a movable seat with a supporting stanchion pole. More particularly, the present invention relates to a moveable stanchion pole for a wheel chair position in a transit bus that allows for a deployed bench seat with an overhead supported vertical pole, and also allows for the bench seat and pole to be folded and or rotated to allows a person with a wheel chair to occupy the same position.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
In mass transit vehicles the vehicle must accommodate different people with different needs. The need for the vehicle is to accommodate the maximum number of riders and must accommodate the needs of any handicapped people that may need to ride the vehicle. When a wheelchair is being transported the wheelchair will occupy a flat area of the bus and often the flat area is occupied by bench seats. Moving bench seat can require unbolting the seat from the floorboard. The bench seat also has at least one stanchion pole for a rider to hold for support as the bus is moving. Without removal of the chair and the pole, the chair and the pole must be either folded independently or collectively.
Due to the unique nature of the problem and the number of available similar prior art references there are a small number of similar patents. Exemplary examples of patents and or publication that try to address this/these problem(s) are identified and discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,285 issued on Sep. 11, 1979 for Hans Fenner et al., discloses a sidewall Structure of a Bus With Seats Mounted on the Wall. This patent is essentially just for the wall supporting structure for a seat, and does not include a vertical support pole. In addition the seat is not configured to be folded or rotated. In addition, the structure does not include a vertical stanchion pole.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,536 issued on May 17, 1988 for Cecil G. Bancalari discloses a Collapsible pole and stand combination. The pole can be collapsed and is adjustable for the overall length. The pole allows a person to grasp onto the pole for support as the person walks. The base of the pole has a stand with wheels that roll as a person walks with the pole. This patent does not include a seat and therefore the pole does not extend with motion of a seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,469,431 issued on Jun. 25, 2013 for Hakan Andersson discloses a Reconfigurable Seating Arrangement. The patent has a deployable chair that can be folded down when needed and then folded up to provide clearance. The chair is mounted onto the back of a wheelchair. This patent does not have a vertically extending pole that supports the seat from above the seat.
What is needed is a pole and seat combination where the seat rotates from the back of the seat, and as the seat rotates the stanchion pole must also rotate to clear the area to make space for a wheelchair.